By Alison Rose Munn
During a spontaneous potluck dinner party one of the guests whipped out a batch of cookies made from just bananas and granola. I was flabbergasted. Why hadn’t I thought of that?!? I’ve played around with using bananas as an egg substitute but never thought of eliminating all other cookie ingredients such as flour and butter. Our guest told me she plays around with different add-ins to embellish the cookies, such as nuts, dried fruit, and spices. The cookies were a hit among all the party guests but I couldn’t try them as our creative baker didn’t remember what and of granola she had used (not all granola is gluten free). And so I was very excited to try my hand at these simple, delicious looking cookies!
I didn’t have granola in my kitchen but I had oats so I used those and the cookies still turned out delightful. After trying a basic batch I decided to play around with add-ins. Since it’s starting to feel like autumn and I love all flavors associated with the season I grabbed two of my favorite spices – cinnamon and nutmeg, threw in some walnuts, raisins, a touch of own sugar, and a pinch of salt. Then I made a batch with a spoonful of peanut butter and chocolate chips. There are so many different add-ins you can use or you can bake the cookies with just its two main ingredients – they’re good no matter what! (And in case you’re baking for anyone who is vegan or a health nut these are perfect – but shh! don’t tell anyone else.)
A note about oats and granola: Oats are naturally gluten free. But often the way they are grown, shipped, and/or processed can cross contaminate them with wheat. For those who are very sensitive it is best to choose oats and granola labeled as “gluten free”.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 large very ripe bananas
- 1 cup gluten free oats (rolled, quick, or old fashioned – just not instant) OR gluten free granola
That’s it! Some ideas for Add-Ins:
Flavor Boosters:
- pinch of salt
- ½ tsp ground spices
- 1 tsp vanilla
Mix-Ins:
- 1/3 cup chopped nuts
- 1/3 cup dried fruit
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1-2 tbsp nut butter
Toppings:
- jam or preserves
- toasted coconut
- whole nut pieces
- M&M's
PREPERATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Mash the bananas until no lumps remain. Stir in oats. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to allow the oats to absorb the moisture and soften. If using granola, let the mixture sit a bit longer.
3. Mix in optional ingredients.
4. Drop a heaping tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet (they will not spread much).
5. If using toppings, sprinkle them on. Or if using a jam, make an indentation in each cookie and fill with ½ tsp.
6. Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden own.
7. Transfer to cooling rack immediately.
